Dry closet with a disposable container



May 1961 lled Dec. 28, 195

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G. O RM May 9, 1961 G. o. HARM DRY CLOSET WITH A DISPOSABLE- CONTAINER Filed Dec. 28, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. GEOEGE O. H/IE/V.

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May 9, 1961 G. o. HARM U DRY CLOSET WITH A DISPOSABLE CONTAINER Filed Dec. 28, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 ""l' 'll'fi'l'" wi... J I

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JL p INVENTOR. GEORGE O- H/UEM BY 72 /c HE Y, WA 775, EDGEETO/V? MSMs' /A/r fl/zzgar A :OENEYS y 9, 1961 G. o. HARM 2,983,090

' DRY CLOSET WITH A DISPOSABLE CONTAINER Filed Dec. 28, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. GEOEGE 0- HA PM.

ATTOE/yEYS May 9, 1961 G. o. HARM DRY CLOSET WITH A DISPOSABLLE CONTAINER Filed Dec. 28, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN V EN TOR. 650266 0. HAQM BY E/CHE Y, WA 775, 06EEr0/v z mwe/vuy TTOENE Y; 7

May 9, 1961 e.- o. HARM DRY CLOSET WITH A DISPOSABLE CONTAINER 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Dec. 28, 1955 INVEN TOR. GEORGE o. HARM BY E/CHEY, WA 7715; EDGEETONEM NENNY ATTORNEYS United States Patent DRY crosnr WITH A DISPOSABLE CONTAINER George 0. Harm, 14428 Onaway Road, Shaker Heights, Ohio Filed Dec. 28, 1955, ser. No. 555,391

8 Claims. c1.53--11s This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for receiving and packaging fecal matter to accommodate future handling and the ready disposal thereof.

The invention further pertains to closets for use in homes, factories, summer cottages, camps, and mobile units where the conventional means of disposal, such as sanitary sewers, cesspools, and septic tanks are unavailable or impractical.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a continuous roll of water repellent paper in the bowl of the closet and to fold such paper, together with the fecal matter thereon into a thin flat strip of uniform thickness in order to facilitate the storage and/or ready disposal thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide mechanism in the closet for folding and drawing a strip of paper, or similar film of deformable material between a pair of rollers in order to extrude the fecal matter and paper into a self-sustaining strand.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a roller driving mechanism embodying a continuous belt frictionally engaged with the folded paper between the rollers to effect uniform translation of the paper strip and the rotation of the rollers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a suppor for the paper during its translation through the closet bowl and a guide way for folding a strand thereof into a thin fiat U strip of a uniform transverse section.

A further object of the invention is to provide a closet having a receptacle attached thereto and a reciprocative gate therein for closing the opening into the receptacle.

()ther objects of the invention reside in the provision of a closet which may be readily disassembled to facilitate adjustment or repair of the roller drive mechanism, renewal of the roll of paper, and flushing and cleaning of the component parts of the apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to provide a closet and storage container therefor which is relatively small in size, light of weight, economic of manufacture and designed to accommodate the need of civilians in areas in which sanitary sewers or similar disposal installations are prohibitive or impractical.

Other objects and advantages more or less ancillary to the foregoing, and the manner in which all the various objects are realized, will appear in the following description, which considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, sets forth the preferred embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the closet;

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Fig. 2 is a side elevational View thereof;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the closet, taken on a plane indicated by the line 3-3 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the closet taken on a plane indicated by the line 4--4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the closet, the section being taken on a plane indicated by the line 5- 5 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view of a fragmentary portion of the closet, the section being taken on a plane indicated by the line 6-6 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is an elevational view of a detail of the valve operating mechanism;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the receptacle associated with the closet;

Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of the receptacle and a fragmentary portion of the closet; I

Fig. 10 is" an elevational view of the inner end of the receptacle;

Fig. 11 is an elevational view of a fragmentary portion of the receptacle illustrating upon an enlarged scale the piercing knife details shown in Fig. 9;

Fig. 12 is an elevational view of the knife and associated parts;

Fig. 13 is a transverse sectional view through the gate valve;

Fig. 14 is a sectional view through a modified form thereof;

Fig. 15 is a side elevational view of the bag shown in the position in which it is arranged in the receptacle;

Fig. 16 is a side elevational View of the bag in a carrying position;

Fig. 17 is an elevational view of the bag with the handles arranged in their collapsed position;

Fig. 18 is a sectional view of the bag handle taken on the line 1818 of Fig. 17; and

Fig. 19 is a sectional view of the bag handles shown in their carrying position.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the unit comprises a closet 10 embodying a bowl 13 in the forward end thereof, preferably designed to rest upon the floor, and an integral prismoidal housing 14 for the reception of the extrusion rollers, drive gearing and control mechanism therefore. The interior of the closet is provided with a rectangular frame 15 fulcrumed adjacent the top of the housing upon a shaft 16 mounted in bearing blocks 17 aflixed to the inner side walls of the housing 14. The frame is inclined downwardly and rests upon a jack screw 18 engaged with the inner wall of the bowl 13. The sides of the lower end of the frame are provided with brackets 19 drilled and reamed to support a pair of shafts carrying flanged rollers 20 and 21 spaced to support a roll of paper 22, or a film of a similar character, for the reception of the fecal matter. The shafts are designed for axial adjustment in their bearings and may be locked in position by set screws mounted in the brackets. The rollers idle on their shafts and are spring pressed against nuts affixed to the ends of the shafts to assure transverse alignment thereof. A downwardly inclined triangular plate 23 is attached to the frame 15 adjacent the forward end of the bowl 13. The side walls 24 of the plate are folded upwardly from the apex of the triangle to the base thereof. The top of the plate 23 is horizontal and formed with a rolled edge 25, While the lower ends of the folded side walls are vertical and terminate between the arcuate convergent side walls 24 of the plate pass therethrough leading the film 28 of paper to the opening 29 between the rollers. Adjacent the ends of the rolled edge there are shoes 30 bent to guide and deflect the paper 28 between the side walls 24 in order to form a deep vertical fold in the end portion thereof. The circumferential faces of the rollers 26 are cross-knurled to grip and draw the paper, together with the action of the deformative fecal material carried thereby, between the rollers during the rotative cycle thereof.

The rollers 26 are hollow and counterbored to receive end plates 31 which are bored for running clearance on shafts 32 afiixed in and depending from hell cranks 33 and 34 mounted on the shaft 16. The bell crank 33 is drilled and tapped to receive a screw 35 having an axial bore therein for sliding engagement on the shaft 16, and a sleeve 36 is mounted on the shaft in abutting engagement with a collar 37 on the inner face of the frame 15. Lateral movement of the bell crank and the roller supported thereby, is attained by adjustment of the screw 35. The bell crank 34 is drilled to receive a bushing 38 mounted for free rotational movement on the shaft 16, and a second sleeve similar to the sleeve 38 is mounted on the shaft 16 in abutting engagement with the bushing 38. The inner arm 39 (Fig. 6)'of the bell crank is machined for the rotative support of a shaft "40 the outer end of which is provided with a crank arm 41 for actuating the shaft, while the inner end thereof supports a ratchet wheel 42 hushed for rotational movement on the shaft. The outer face of the ratchet wheel is aflixed to a pulley 43, and an arm 44, secured on the shaft 16 adjacent the inner face of the ratchet wheel, supports a pawl 45 engaged with the teeth of the ratchet wheel. The teeth of the ratchet are formed to rotate the pulley clockwise upon forward and downward rotation of the arm 41. A pin 46 is mounted in the outer end of the arm 44 to delimit the movement thereof upon retraction of the arm 41. The outer leg 47 of the bell crank 34 is bored for the reception of a pin 48 having an eccentric pintle 49 therein which supports a sheave 50 and a belt 51 is roved over the pulley and sheave, the central portion of the lower run thereof being impinged between the paper film 28 and the walls of the upper ends of the rollers 26. The pin 48 is locked in position by a set screw 52, but the sheave may be adjusted to align the belt into parallel relation with the ends of the rollers by loosening the screw and adjusting the pin 48. Both the bell cranks 33 and 34 are formed with integral upward and outwardly directed arms 53 having slots in the outer ends thereof to receive lock screws threaded in the ends of bolts 54. The bolts are threaded in bosses 55 in the cross member of the frame 15 and abut washers 56 on the arms 53, thus facilitating rocking adjustment of the bell cranks about their fulcrums on the shaft 16. The cross member of the frame 15 is further provided with a bracket 57 for the support of a sheave 58 engaged with the belt 51 and adapted to vary the tension thereon upon adjustment of the bolts 54. Lateral pressure on the belt 51 is attained by adjustment of the screw 35, hence, as the paper is drawn through the trough, defined by the side walls 24, by the rearward translation of the belt, the paper and the material carried thereby will be rolled into a relatively flat thin strip.

The operative adjustment of the mechanism is attained by rocking the bell cranks until the proper position of the axes of the'rollers, in relation to the run of the paper, is obtained then locking the bolts 54 by adjustment of the screws 52a.

As illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the top of the closet It! is provided with a cover plate conforming to the lineation of the bowl and housing, and formed with a depending oval flange 59 superjacent the forward end portion of the inclined plate 23. The top of the remaining arm 41 to the dotted e 4 portion of the cover plate is formed with an outer depending flange 60 which conforms to the top of the base and defines a housing for the pulley 43, the mechanism associated therewith, and the forward end of the bowl 13. The cover is held in place by lugs 61 aifixed within the bowl housing in the corners thereof, and protruding upwardly to arrest lateral movement of the flange 60. The cover plate is provided with a toilet seat 62 of conventional form, hinged adjacent the rear end thereof to the cover plate.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 10, the roller housing is of prismoidal form embodying a vertical rear wall 64 having an opening 65 therein disposed in aligned relation with the opening between the rollers 26 and 26. The housing is demountably attached to a container 66 through a breeching 67 aligned with the opening 65 and formed with a plate valve 68 therein. The breeching comprises a rectangular flanged casting 69 having a sponge rubber pad 70 on a vertical-wall of an opening 71 therein, and an opposed reciprocative plate 72, also faced with a resilient rubber pad 73, in the opening in the breeching. The pads 70 and 73 are formed with confronting horizontal reliefs R in the lower marginal edges thereof to facilitate the escapement of the fluid matter deposited in the strip. The plate 72 is formed with a flange 75 on the outer edge thereof which is connected to a bar 76 mounted in guide straps 77 mounted on the outer face of the container. The bar is pivotally connected through a slotted hole adjacent its outer end to a link 78 and fulcrumed in the center thereof to the container. The upper end of the link is provided with an open socket 79 disposed at an angle of approximately fifteen degrees (15) to the major axis of the link. The socket receives a rod 80 mounted in a collar 81 on a hub 82 on the shaft 40, and an escapement movement is provided in the collar by a pin 83 in the hub which protrudes into an arcuate slot 84 of approximately twelve degrees (12) in length. The collar is restrained against axial movement by a snap ring seated in a groove in the hub 82. The collar assembly is normally held in the full line position, as illustrated, by a spring 86 anchored to the collar 81 and to the floor. In operation, the crank arm 41 travels from its full line position to the dotted line position 87 before the shoulder defined by the slot .84 reaches the pin 83. In that interval, the rod 80 will rock the link 78, as it ascends in the angularly disposed socket 79, move the bar 76 laterally, and thus open the valve plate 72. Continued movement of the line position 870 will eflectthe rotation of the rollers 26 and 26 and the passage of the thin folded paper strip through the opening 71 in the breeching 67 and into the container 66.

As the valve 68 is closed by the return of the rod 80 to the full line position by the spring, the paper strip containing the fecal mater is pierced to release the fluid therein. The piercing operation is attained by an arcuate knife blade 88 affixed upon a shaft 89 journaled in the casting 69. The blade is of a requisite length to span the opening 71 in the casting and rupture the lower folded edge of the strip upon rotation thereof.

The shaft 89 is keyed to a depending arm 90 pivotally connected to a bar 91 pivoted to the lower end of a link 92 which is fulcrumed in its center to the container and pivotallyconnected through a slotted hole at its upper end to the bar 76. When the bar is moved laterally to close the valve 68, the bar 91 will move in the opposite direction, and rotate the shaft 89 clockwise, thus causing the knife to swing across the opening 71 in the breeching and pierce the paper strip therein. The wall of the breeching opposite the knife 88 is' formed with a slot for the reception of the pointed end of the knife to provide a shearing action for the blade as it passes through the paper strip. The inner edge of the plate 72 is provided with a looped strip 93 of pliable rubber adapted to buckle upon closure of the valve plate and assure a seal. If

desired, the reciprocative plate 72 can be omitted and both inner walls of the opening 71 may be equipped with mating rubber strips 93a of the character of the strip 93, illustrated in-Fig. 18.

The receptacle 66 is formed with opposed hinged side wall panels 94 retained in their closed position by spring clips 95 and a telescopic cover 96 is seated on the top of the container.

The receptacle, as heretofore described, may be used, per se, as a container for the paper strip, but is preferably provided with a polyethylene bag 100 comprising a tubular film having rectangular water repellent cardboard plates 101 therein arranged to form end walls. The free ends of the tube are sealed and folded with the corners thereof in abutting relation, then refolded upon itself and cemented in place, to form a homogeneous closed chamber. The fold lines in the side walls of the container are disposed respectively in the center thereof in order to avoid leakage of any fluid or material in the container. The bag is placed in the container with the cardboard ends thereof contiguous the front and rear walls of the receptable. The forward wall 103 of the bag is formed with a flanged rectangular slot 104 therein adapted for snug engagement over the protruding inner end of the breeching casting 69. The edges of the opening .104 in the bag, are bound with fabric strips 105 constituting the supporting medium for a pair of carrying handles .106. The handles are die cut from cardboard and pierced with hand holes 107 therein to facilitate handling the bag and assure the automatic closure of the slot 104 when the bag is carried thereby. The fabric strips are cemented to the edge of each handle and over and about flanged edges of the slot 104 so that the flanged edges of the slot are drawn into closed position when the handles are pulled. To prevent the flanged edges pulling through the opening, tabs 108 are cemented to the ends of the flanges for engagement with the sides of the opening. The bag is held in position in the container by clips 109 affixed to the front and rear of the hinged panels 94 adjacent the inner edges of the cardboard end walls in the bag. When it is desired to remove the bag from the container, the side panels 94 are dropped, the flanged edge or collar about the slot 104 is pulled from the protruding inner end 110 of the breeching casting, and the paper strip is sheared or cut to release the strand. Thereafter, the bag may be lifted from the container and destroyed.

Although the foregoing description is necessarily of a detailed character, in order that the invention may be completely set forth, it is to be understood that the specific terminology is not intended to be restrictive or confining, and that various rearrangements of parts and modifications of detail may be resorted to without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as herein claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for the reception of fecal matter comprising a closet, a roll of water repellent paper therein, a support therefor including a trough for folding a strand of the paper into a U strip, rollers in the closet adjacent the end of said trough, 'mechanism for rotating said rollers to draw the strip of paper through said trough and to flatten the fecal matter in the folded strip into a thin flat strip, a reciprocative clamp adjacent the discharge side of said rollers, a container removably attached to said closet adjacent said clamp for the reception of said folded strip, and means adjacent said clamp for puncturing the lower portion of the folded strip within the container.

2. Apparatus for the reception of fecal matter comprising a closet, a film of a water repellent material therein, a plate in said closet, wings folded upwardly from one end of said plate defining a trough for folding the film into a thin strip, mechanism contiguous the end of said trough for flattening the folded strip and fecal matter therein into a thin flat strip and for feeding said strip out of said trough, a prismoidal receptacle adjacent the end of said trough, a prismoidal combustible container in said receptacle, said receptacle and container having aligned slits in one of the walls thereof for the admission of said strip and fecal matter, and means adjacent to said slits for puncturing said flattened strip.

3. Apparatus for the reception and storage of fecal matter comprising a closet, a roll of water repellent paper therein, a plate in said closet having upwardly folded side portions defining a trough in the inner end thereof, spaced rollers contiguous the end of said trough for flattening the paper into a thin flat strip of substantially uniform thickness, transversely and longitudinally, and drawing said strip of paper and fecal matter through said trough, mechanism for rotating said rollers, a metal prismoidal receptacle having a slit in one of the side walls thereof adjacent the discharge side of said rollers, and a combustible prismoidal container in said receptacle having a slit in a wall thereof conforming to the cross section of the flattened strip for the entry of said strip and fecal matter, and means to puncture the strip adjacent to said slit.

4. Apparatus for the reception of a flat thin folded strip of paper of uniform thickness having fecal matter therein comprising a closet, a roll of paper therein, an inclined plate in said closet for the support of a strand of said paper, a vertical guideway in said closet adjacent the lower end of said plate for folding a strip of said paper into a narrow strand, vertical rollers contiguous the end of said guideway for flattening fecal matter into a thin strip, mechanism for driving said rollers, means for puncturing said folded and flattened strip, a water repellent bag having a slot in the top thereof for the reception of said strand of paper and fecal matter, and closing means in said bag operable when the bag is lifted.

5. Apparatus for the reception of fecal matter comprising a closet, a roll of paper therein, a plate for the support of a strip thereof, mechanism for folding a strand of said paper into a U strip, rollers in said closet for flattening said strip and feeding said flattened U strip and the fecal matter enveloped therein out of said folding mechanism, a combustible container having an opening in a wall thereof adjacent said rollers for the reception of said U strip and the fecal matter, and means adjacent to said opening for puncturing the U strip.

6. Apparatus for the reception of fecal matter comprising a closet, a film of a water repellent material therein, a plate in said closet inclined downwardly from the forward end thereof, guides for forming a strand of said material into a trough, vertically disposed rollers in said closet contiguous the end of said plate, a spacing element between said rollers in compressive relation therewith to engage the edges of said material between the spacing element and the rollers, mechanism for intermittently rotating said rollers and drawing said strand of material over said plate and forming it into a flat strip, a receptacle contiguous the discharge side of said rollers for the reception of said strip, a combustible container in said receptacle, said receptacle and container having mating openings therein for the reception of said strip as it is moved by said rollers into said receptacle and container, a puncturing mechanism contiguous the opening in said receptacle arranged to operate within the receptacle, and means connected with the roller rotating mechanism to operate said puncturing means at the completion of each cycle of operation.

7. Apparatus for the reception of fecal matter comprising a closet, a roll of combustible water repellent paper therein, a trough for folding a strand thereof, rollers adjacent the end of said trough for feeding and flattening said strand and fecal matter into a thin strip, a resilient reciprocative clamp adjacent the discharge side of said rollers, a bag having a slot therein for the entry of said strip and the fecal matter attached to said closet,

7 and means adjacent to said clamp for puncturing the folded strip.

8. Apparatus for the conveyance and storage of 'fecal matter comprising a closet, a roll of Water repellent paper therein, a trough for folding -a strand thereof for the receptionof fecal matter, rollers adjacent the end of said trough, mechanism to trough and between said rollers to flatten said strand and the contained fecal mater into a thin strip, a con-' taining reniovably attached to said closet adjacent'the discharge side of said rollers, a slot in said container for the entry of said folded strip, a resilient closure for said draw said strand through said slot and means to puncture the folded strip after it enters the container.

References Cited in the file of this patent V UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,938,452 Gnesmeyer Dec. 5, 1933 2,166,643 Salfisberg July 18, 1939 2,205,405 Harm June 25, 1940 2,279,505 Ravenscroft Apr. 14, 1942 2,633,684 Rohdin Apr. 7, 1953 2,835,214 Harm May 20, 1958 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No; 2,983 O9O May 9I .1961

George 06 Harm It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the -said Letters Patent should read as "corrected below.

Column 7 lines 9 and 10 for "containing" read container Signed and sealed this 14th day of November 1961.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER DAVID L. LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents USCOMM-DO 

